- Adeleke Speaks On Defecting To APC After Meeting With Tinubu, Wike
- Governor Adeleke pledged cooperation with the Federal Government on development.
- His Tinubu meeting focused on unity and healing in Osun State.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has ruled out any possibility of defecting from his political party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Rumours of Adeleke’s possible defection to the APC emerged after his separate visits to President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in Abuja on Thursday.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that however, Adeleke’s Campaign Council Spokesperson, Pelumi Olajengbesi, dismissed the speculation while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday.
Olajengbesi said the governor’s visit had nothing to do with joining the APC, stressing that Adeleke remained a member of his political party.
He said, “The essence of that visit has nothing to do with Governor Ademola Adeleke joining APC. It’s an impossibility. Governor Ademola Adeleke is not joining APC.
“But I can assure you that Governor Ademola Adeleke will work with the Federal Government to ensure that there’s progress in Nigeria and, of course, in Osun State.”
Olajengbesi explained that Adeleke’s visit to Tinubu was a demonstration of respect for the office of the President.
He said the governor also visited Tinubu to appreciate him for providing what he described as a level playing field during the just concluded Osun State governorship election.
According to him, Adeleke used the meeting with Tinubu to advocate healing and unity in Osun State following the election.
He stated, “The visit of Governor Ademola Adeleke to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the proper thing to do. It is the norm; it is the standard.
“We all agree that Nigeria is a federation. We have three tiers of government, the Federal Government, the state government and, of course, the local government.
“Osun State is a sub-nation now under the Nigerian government, and we don’t intend to take Osun State out of Nigeria. So we understand, and I think the governor deemed it necessary to pay a courtesy call to Mr President as a sign of respect to the office of the President.
“The visit of Mr Governor to Mr President is not taking the people of Osun State for granted, but the intention is to amplify the aspiration of the people of Osun State.
“Mr President has said to Mr Governor that this is the best time for us to unite our people in Osun State. And he’s in line with the speech and the position of Mr Governor, that it is time to heal the wound of the people of Osun State.”
